The invention relates to a process for converting heavy hydrocarbons to high-quality syngas, i.e. a mixture mainly of hydrogen and carbon monoxide.
Anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants can be significantly reduced or even completely eliminated by replacing fossil fuels with cleaner fuels, e.g. solar fuels. Further, the conversion of solar energy into a chemical energy carrier that can be long-term stored and long-range transported would overcome major drawbacks of solar energy, namely, that solar energy is conventionally a diluted, intermittent, and unequally distributed energy source.
The replacement of fossil fuels with solar fuels is a long-term goal requiring the development of novel technologies. Intermediate progress along this transition would also be desirable. Clearly, the need remains for a more viable process for using solar energy to overcome the limitations mentioned above.
It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide a process whereby solar energy is converted to chemically stored energy.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a process wherein the stored energy is a relatively clean fossil fuel.
Other objects and advantages will appear hereinbelow.